Surprise
by demonman21
Summary: Sequel to "Knowledge". Not sure how to summarize this one, so just read it and find out about it.


Surprise  
  
FINALLY! To those of you who still read my work (if there are any left), I humbly and deeply apologize for my lack of fanfics over the last month of so. I hit a writer's block, and coupled with a muse killing part time job, I lost any ability to write. I am getting it back, however, and I can only hope it stays. Regardless, here is the belated next installment of the series.  
  
Sequel to "Knowledge". I do not owned Charmed, I just write about it.  
  
As morning dawned in the Halliwell manor, the smell of pancakes drifted lazily throughout the house. Piper grinned to herself as she expertly watched and flipped the pancakes before they burned. She was so busy with the club and everything, that she rarely made breakfast. And if tradition held.  
  
A loud clattering on the stairs caused Piper to laugh softly. Just like normal. Her pancakes could still wake the dead. She turned her head, wanting to see who made it down the stairs first, and barely bit back a scream. Both Gabriel and Melinda had managed to sneak down without her knowing, and were holding plates out towards her with identical looks of longing.  
  
"How did you." Piper began, but trailed off as they both grinned impudently. "Wait, let me guess.you teleported."  
  
"Honest, Aunt Piper," Gabriel wheedled, "We only did it cause we are SO hungry."  
  
"Please, mommy." Melinda chimed in.  
  
Piper tried to keep her expression solemn, failed when faced with their innocent pleading expression, and finally snorted, "You two are becoming too good at doing that." when they didn't stop, she said, "Fine, you can get the first pancakes."  
  
"Hey, no fair," Leo protested as he preceded Michael and Paige into the kitchen.  
  
"Come on, Leo. You're just mad you didn't think of it first," Michael retorted.  
  
Leo grinned sheepishly, and then shrugged as the two laughed at him. "Hey, orbing takes a lot of energy.and I LOVE her pancakes."  
  
"Don't worry, they'll be plenty to go around," Piper promised. "Where are Cole and Phoebe? If they get here soon, I may not make them any."  
  
"Right here," Phoebe chimed as she and Cole walked in, holding hands. Ever since they discovered the soulbond, Phoebe and Cole were acting like they had when they had first started dating. "We'd never miss your pancakes."  
  
As the group settled around the table, Cole looked over and Leo and said, "So, have they decided yet?"  
  
Leo glanced at Melinda and Gabriel, who were both grinning evilly. "I'd say they have."  
  
Cole sighed theatrically, and remarked, "Alright, tell me the bad news. What did you guys pick?"  
  
Melinda and Gabriel looked at each other, and then said together, "Spy-kids 3d,"  
  
Cole and Leo shared a relived smile, and Leo added, "Good choice. When's the next showing?"  
  
"10:30," Melinda replied promptly.  
  
Cole glanced down at his watch. 9:15. "We can make it as long as we hurry after breakfast."  
  
"It's a lot easier now that Gabriel is through his growth spurt." Leo mentioned.  
  
"Tell me about it," Piper remarked, "I felt like I was trying to fill a bottomless pit for a while."  
  
Gabriel grinned sheepishly before finishing his third pancake, pushing his plate back, and saying, "I'm done."  
  
Melinda followed suit, and then they both spent the next fifteen minutes watching Leo and Cole eat. When they finally finished, both children could barely keep their excitement contained. Cole looked over at Leo and asked, "Our kids can level the house without blinking, have fought against demons whose power was legendary, and yet they still get antsy to go see a movie. Go figure."  
  
Leo was about to respond when Melinda grabbed his arm and started dragging him. He saw Gabriel doing the same thing, and merely grinned. "Let's go get ready, we need to be out of here in the next ten minutes if we want to get there in time." He then looked over at Piper and said, "We'll probably just orb from upstairs. We'll be back around 1pm."  
  
As the group left the room, Paige grinned at Phoebe, "This father's day out was a very good idea. It's the perfect opportunity."  
  
"Think they suspect anything," Piper asked.  
  
"Not a chance," Phoebe commented, "When the time comes, they will have no warning. We've planned this too well."  
  
***  
  
"Popcorn, POPCORN," Melinda and Gabriel crowed together.  
"Alright, alright," Cole said in mock defeat. He saw the prices, and fought back a surge of panic. "Popcorn costs HOW much?"  
  
Leo shared a look with him, and said, "I know, remember how much it used to cost, 'back in the good old days'?"  
  
"Not really," Cole countered as they stood in line, "Hey, do you feel really old when you say that?"  
  
"God yes," Leo admitted in a whisper, "Face it, buddy. You and I are doomed to always be shocked at these prices. The times have changed, and we have to hope we can handle them."  
  
Cole grinned. It was ironic really. He and Leo, angel and ex-demon, were now the closest of friends where they used to be deadly enemies. Part of it came from the fact that Leo was the only member of the family who was close to his time, who knew what he meant when he mentioned actors or situations before the other's time. It was comforting to actually have someone understand what he was talking about.  
  
Cole's thought were interrupted as he paid for the popcorn (way too much, in his opinion). His son grabbed him and all but dragged him into the theater. Cole gazed fondly at his son's head. Despite their protests, Cole and Leo were more than happy to have their respective offspring to themselves. As the lights dimmed and the previews began, Cole wouldn't have wished to be anywhere else.  
  
***  
  
"That movie was AWESOME," Melinda stated as the group entered the front door of the house.  
  
"I'm glad you liked it," Leo remarked.  
  
"Mommy, Aunt Paige," Gabriel called out, but the house was deserted. "That's odd.I wonder where they could be," Gabriel mused.  
  
"Good question," Cole said, "You guys check the attic, we'll check the basement." As Gabriel and Melinda ran upstairs, Cole and Leo shared a slight grin.  
  
"Mom?" Melinda called as she and Gabriel reached the attic. They both looked at each other before opening the door. Despite the time of day, the attic was pitch black. Melinda and Gabriel slowly entered the room. Gabriel reached over and flipped the light switch. They found themselves confronted by about forty people who shouted.  
  
"SURPRISE!"  
  
As the two children stared in shock, the group (led by Piper and Phoebe), started to sing, "Happy birthday to you.Happy birthday to you.Happy birthday Gabriel and Melinda.Happy birthday to you."  
  
Gabriel and Melinda stared in shock at everyone assembled as Cole and Leo came up the stairs. "Think they knew?" Cole asked with a tight grin.  
  
"Not a chance," Leo countered, "Look at their faces. We got them. Melinda, Gabriel, welcome to your birthday party."  
  
***  
  
"Look how happy they are," Piper exclaimed excitedly. She and Phoebe were watching as Gabriel and Melinda were playing with several children brought by other witches.  
  
"It was worth it," Phoebe added, "All the planning, the secret invitations, the stress of keeping it secret.thanks again Mortanos. We never could have kept this secret without your powers."  
  
Mortanos turned upon hearing his name and flashed a grin. "Not a problem. Gabriel is my magical brother, and Melinda is a very charming little minx. Besides, every child deserves one surprise party in his life."  
  
"Look at all these people," Piper exclaimed. "I never would have thought we'd have this many. I guess we're more popular than we thought."  
  
"You're the Charmed Ones," Michael explained, "All I had to do was mention you were having a birthday party to some of my magically inclined customers with children, and they leaped at the chance. You're famous in the world of good magic, and your children are also amassing a reputation."  
  
He would have continued, but they doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Phoebe said, and descended quickly to the front door. She opened it, and found Sara and her daughter Arianna at the door.  
  
"Sorry we're late." Sara began, but Phoebe cut her off.  
  
"Don't worry, we're just getting started.hello, Arianna. I'll take any gifts you've got. The children are upstairs."  
  
Arianna handed over a single wrapped present before racing upstairs. Phoebe looked at Sara in puzzlement.  
  
"It's for Melinda," Sara explained.  
  
"I don't want to seem rude, but." Phoebe asked.  
  
"I took her shopping, but Arianna only wanted to get a gift for Melinda. When I asked her about it, she told me she already had Gabriel's present," Sara mentioned. "I tried to press her, but she refused to tell me."  
  
Phoebe shrugged, and grinned, "Another little mystery, eh? Oh, well. How's work going."  
  
***  
  
Cole embraced his brother warmly, and said, "Gerald, I'm glad you could come."  
  
Gerald grinned, and said, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world, little brother."  
  
"How's work going?" Cole asked.  
  
Gerald's grin vanished as he said, "Your son has me handling a lot of the duties of Guardian of Life so he can search for Angel, so I'm being run fairly ragged. I had no idea his job was so rough!"  
  
Cole went serious for a second, as he remarked, "Any luck?"  
  
Gerald grimaced, and said, "He's found a few old signs, but nothing conclusive. Why don't you asked him yourself though?"  
  
"Gabriel doesn't want to talk about Angel much," Cole explained, "and I haven't wanted to press."  
  
Gerald was about to press when he felt someone smack him on the shoulder. He turned to find his sister-in-law Phoebe glaring at him with mock ferocity. "No business at my son's party."  
  
Gerald assumed a patently false expression of woeful sadness as he mock-begged, "Please forgive me,"  
  
Phoebe smiled, and then laughed. She hugged Gerald warmly, and said, "You're just in time for them to open presents. Then we're going to go cake."  
  
"Cake? I'd never miss Piper's famous cakes," Gerald said quickly.  
  
Phoebe grinned as she said, "I see some traits are genetic," and suppressed a laugh as Cole sent her a flow of wordless love and mock anger. "Come on, let's watch them open their gifts."  
  
***  
  
It was decided, since their birthday's were in fact more than a week away, that the family would do gifts then, and Gabriel and Melinda would only open up their guest's gifts. Gabriel and Melinda alternated opening gifts. They got a wide range of gifts, some magical but many simply toys. Throughout the whole process, Arianna had insisted on going last. When it was finally her turn, she handed Melinda the single wrapped gift. Melinda opened it to find a beautiful pink bow. "Thanks, Ari," Melinda said enthusiastically as she demanded than and there to put it on.  
  
Gabriel waited for a second, and then finally asked, "Don't I get a gift?"  
  
Arianna grinned mischievously. She walked forward, mashed her lips to Gabriel's, and said, "Happy birthday Gabi." As Gabriel stared at her in complete and absolute shock, she walked back towards her mother, who was with Phoebe and the others. They were all trying desperately not to laugh at the look on Gabriel's face. Cole walked forward with a huge grin on his face, and fighting back a chortle, put his hand on his son's shoulder and said, "Congratulations son, you've just gotten your first kiss."  
  
Gabriel turned to look at his father with his utterly shocked expression, which was Cole's undoing. Soon, the entire family was laughing as Gabriel tried to absorb what just happened.  
  
***  
  
"Good-bye, thanks for coming," Phoebe shouted as the last of the guests left. She then joined the rest of the family in the living room, where she curled up on Cole's lap. The entire family was recovering from the party before the clean-up, while Gabriel and Melinda were playing on the floor with some of their new toys.  
  
"Any chance we can just destroy the attic?" Cole asked, "It has to be easier than the clean-up would be."  
  
"Don't tempt me," Piper warned, "We'll do the clean-up tomorrow. I'm too tired to do anything else. Gods, can anyone believe the party lasted till 10pm?"  
  
"It's like some kind of record," Paige agreed, then said, "Hey, what's that?"  
  
The group looked as Paige walked over and picked up a single envelope sitting in the middle of the floor.  
  
"Huh.I guess one of the guests must have left it, although I can't believe we didn't notice it," Leo said.  
  
"Are you kidding? With all the chaos from the party, I'd have missed an elephant coming through the downstairs," Piper mentioned.  
  
Paige handed it to Gabriel, saying, "It's addressed to you."  
  
Gabriel's expression turned curious as he opened the envelope. Inside was a single note, written in an ancient and elegant script. The note read:  
  
Gabriel,  
  
Felicitations on the first anniversary of your birth.  
  
The note was unsigned, but the handwriting all but screamed to Gabriel the identity of who wrote it. As he passed it around, Gabriel knew without a doubt what being had sent that here.  
  
Cole saw the look on Gabriel's face, and asked softly, "Problems?"  
  
Gabriel smiled a genuine smile, and shook his head. "None that can't wait until tomorrow.thank you, all of you. This was awesome."  
  
As Melinda chimed her agreement, Piper and Phoebe shared a look. They then said together, "Bedtime."  
  
Gabriel and Melinda tried to protest, while Cole looked at the note. Finally, he put it down with a forceful thought. Today his son had his first surprise party. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.  
  
THE END  
  
(I know it's a little short, but I'm just getting my muse back. Also, I apologize if it hasn't been exactly a year since Gabriel and Melinda was born. Unfortunately, I lost track of how much time has really passed, so I 'jumped'. Anyway, the next story will be longer, I promise.) 


End file.
